Latest articles by Matt McCracken
Best guitars for kids 2025: top electric and acoustic guitars for children
The top kid’s guitars available today and everything you need to know to get your child started with the guitar
Jackson Pro Plus XT Soloist SLAT HT6 Baritone review
We get low with this fast-playing, all‑black modern metal machine
"The articulation is sensational even with the overdrive knob cranked, and every note rings true no matter what you’re playing”: Universal Audio UAFX Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive Special pedal review
Has UA committed heresy with its digitization of the holy grail of guitar tone? We find out…
Did someone say Black Friday? Positive Grid is already offering a massive up to 50% off smart amps and software right now
PG has gone early with super savings on desktop amps, software, accessories, and more
Best acoustic guitar picks 2025: our choice of picks for acoustic playing from Dunlop, D'Addario, and more
Get the connection between player and strings right with the best acoustic guitar picks
Best beginner electric guitars 2025: kickstart your musical journey with these epic electric guitars for beginners
So you're a budding guitarist? Get started with our pick of the best beginner electric guitars from Squier, Yamaha, and Epiphone
Best Fender amps 2025: famous tube combos to digital headphone amps
From beginner practice amps to touring-grade tube combos, these are the best amplifiers from the industry's most famous brand
“The best wireless headphones for musicians you can buy right now, despite a few flaws”: Yamaha YH-WL500 review
Promising ultra-low-latency performance, have musicians finally got usable wireless headphones on their hands?
“It’ll suit those players who like to hit hard and make their guitar really shout”: Epiphone Masterbilt Texan review
We put this unsung acoustic hero through its paces and find out if it’s deserving of more plaudits
“Continually surprised me with beautiful, unpredictable overtones”: Martin D-28 review
I get hands-on with arguably the most legendary acoustic guitar of all time. Will it live up to the hype?
Best Christmas gifts for bass players 2025: the ultimate festive gift guide for lovers of low-end
Show your bass-playing buddy, parent, or partner some love this Christmas with 22 brilliant gift ideas for bass players
A personalized Fender and a $400 saving? Count us in! Fender's Mod Shop is currently offering free upgrades for a limited time
Get free upgrades on Fender bodies, necks, pickups, hardware, and more when you buy a Mod Shop guita
Best combo amps 2025: the best all-in-one amps for every budget
The ultimate tube, solid state, and modeling combo amps for every genre, from Motown to metal and everything in between
Best metal guitars 2025: hell-raising electrics for shredders on any budget
From extended-range guitars to Flying Vs, here's our pick of killer metal guitars from Jackson, ESP, Ibanez, and more
Fender Mustang Micro vs Mustang Micro Plus: is it worth upgrading?
We put Fender’s two headphone amps for guitar in a room together to duke it out
Guitarists, the Amazon Big Deal Days are all about accessories - here's 7 essential picks for you
Streamline your practice and performance with these cheap deals on guitar accessories
Mooer's massive up to 30% Amazon Prime Day effects sale includes Devin Townsend's formidable Ocean Machine II
If you’re after some cheap guitar pedals there are loads of great deals in the Amazon Big Deal Days event
Get ahead of the Black Friday game with the Beat the Rush sales event on Reverb– up to 44% off guitar gear
Forget Amazon Big Deal Days, all the best deals for guitarists are over on Reverb
“The perfect online guitar lessons platform if you’ve already got some playing under your belt”: Til review
We check out the guitar lessons platform that does things the old way for the new generation
Neural DSP Quad Cortex vs Nano Cortex: Which should you choose?
We put Neural’s flagship hardware units in a room together to deep dive into all the capabilities and features
Best baritone guitars 2025: pick up the slack with these long scale guitars
Get low with our expert pick of the best baritone guitars from PRS, Gretsch, Chapman, Jackson, and loads more
Best ukuleles for beginners 2025: top picks from soprano to tenor
The best beginner ukuleles from Fender, Epiphone, Martin, Kala, Gretsch and more – prices starting from $30
Best guitars for jazz 2025: smooth swinging options for jazz cats
From archtops to solid bodies, these are the best jazz guitars on the market today from top brands like D’Angelico, Gibson, Squier, and more
